CHENNAI: Protests demanding the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) further intensified and spread across Tamil Nadu on Monday. DMK members protested in several places in the city, including an arterial Anna Salai stretch in Saidapet bringing traffic to a virtual halt. Two party members in Coimbatore attempted to immolate themselves.
Puthiya Tamizhagam cadres resorted to rail roko agitations at Tiruchi, Pudukottai and Tiruvarur leading to detention of a few trains for a while. With the agitators targeting Central Government installations, offices and railways, train blockades affected commuter traffic in several places, including Tiruchy, Coimbatore and Pudukottai.
DMK working president M.K.Stalin has said the Cauvery agitations would continue till the Centre constituted the CMB and CWRC. DMK organ 'Murasoli' said the stir will go on till Wednesday, followed by a statewide bandh the next day. All the opposition-affiliated trade unions will support the April 5 bandh in which the farmers' outfits too will take part. PMK founder-leader Dr S.Ramadoss has announced his party's support for the Thursday bandh.
Under attack from the DMK and others accusing it of not doing enough to pressure the Centre to constitute the CMB and CWRC, the AIADMK and the K.Palaniswami government have now decided to do their bit to turn the Cauvery heat on. While the government filed the contempt petition against the Centre in the Supreme Court, the AIADMK is holding a statewide protest-fast on Tuesday, with both the CM and Deputy CM opting out possibly to send out a signal to the Centre their bridge is still not fully burnt.
